The law

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, assisting a suicide is a crime. Those convicted could face up to 14 years in prison. There is no specific crime of assisting a suicide in Scotland. But it is possible that helping a person to die could lead to prosecution for culpable homicide.

I just want to say a word about the current law, which puts families in the most invidious position... if someone acts out of absolute compassion, they are still left with their home being declared a crime scene and with a police investigation...That is surely an intolerable position.

We have arrived at a position where compassionate, amateur assistance from nearest and dearest is accepted but professional medical assistance is not, unless someone has the means and physical assistance to get to Dignitas. That to my mind is an injustice that we have trapped within our current arrangement.